ADFD loans Sudan $90m to build hydroelectric plant

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has contributed a $90m concessionary loan for the completion of a 320 megawatt (MW) hydroelectric power plant in eastern Sudan.

ADFD officials attended the official opening of the Upper Atbara and Setit Dam Complex plant, which was inaugurated by Omar Hassan Al Bashir, president of Sudan.

The $1.9bn Upper Atbara and Setit Dam Complex includes Rumela Dam on the Upper Atbarah River and Burdana Dam on the Setit River. The twin dams have a total storage capacity of 2.7 billion cubic metres of water.

The project makes use of natural water resources to reinforce agriculture production and generate much-needed electricity, state news agency, WAM reported.

It also led to the construction of schools, mosques, transportation infrastructure, healthcare centres, and 11 housing communities.

The complex is expected to provide efficient irrigation systems and networks to increase agricultural production in New Halfa area.

“In line with our mission to fund key sectors that yield significant benefits, our latest project goes a long way in serving the needs of the Sudanese population.

“The plant not only provides a sustainable source of energy, but also helps expand agricultural areas, increases irrigation efficiency and enhances food and energy security.”

Apart from giving a major boost to the national power grid, the project supplies drinking water to thousands of people in the region and irrigates large expanses of fields, growing agricultural produce for domestic and international consumption, Badr El-Din Mahmoud Hamid Abbas, Sudan’s minister of finance and economic planning noted.